Design By: Xaviana Reece

In addition to celebrating the spooky season, the month of October brings awareness to the troubling reality of domestic violence, especially among college students.  

In 1989, the U.S. Congress named October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month to educate about the toxic, continuous behavior used to gain power or control over an intimate partner, which can affect anyone in the form of financial, physical, sexual and verbal abuse.  

For college students, the trends of domestic violence are pronounced. The most common age range for intimate partner abuse victims is between 18 and 24, matching the typical and traditional age range for college students. About one in five college students admit to facing abuse by an intimate partner.  

To counter domestic violence and work toward prevention, JCCC hosts and provides resources to support and assist students subject to this type of violence, while also outlining next steps for victims.   

In incidents of domestic violence:  

• Get to a safe location. This is an area away from an attacker or abuser. Fill an emergency bag with supplies that you can store. Think about those you can stay with: family, friends or neighbors. Contact Newhouse KC, a shelter for those escaping domestic violence, for assistance.  
• Document and record all instances of domestic violence-related behaviors: emails, phone calls, threats or vandalism. Take pictures of evidence, including bodily injuries, damaged items and weapons. Evidence assists in protection orders and criminal prosecution.  

• Consider reaching out to someone you trust and utilizing college and community resources. If domestic or sexual violence incidents occurred within JCCC campus bounds, also consider filing a Title IX report to hold actions accountable.  

JCCC also provides resources for victims of domestic violence to reach out to:  

• JCCC Counseling  

• Personal counseling is available for students to meet and communicate with counselors in a safe space. Students are eligible for the short-term student assistance program (SAP), which provides five free sessions of counseling for personal and mental health issues.   

• MOCSA 

• The Metropolitan Organization Countering Sexual Assault is a Kansas City-based nonprofit serving to support survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. MOCSA has an outreach space in the Regnier Center Room 303 with an advocate present every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for students to consult about resources, counseling, and next steps.  

• JCCC Police 

• Victims of domestic violence can contact JCCC Police (913-469-2500) or 911 for on-campus or off-campus assistance and emergencies. Both are available 24/7. 

To honor survivors’ strength and raise awareness about domestic violence among students, several events at JCCC, brought to you by Student Life, will take place this month in the name of prevention.  

• Escaping Silence: A Domestic Violence Awareness Experience is a “Healthy Relationship Escape Room” where participants on Tuesday, Oct. 20, will navigate a series of challenges across color-coded tables on the first floor of the Student Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., educating participants about how to escape a simulated unhealthy environment. Campus Police, MOCSA, and Counseling will provide additional resources surrounding domestic violence awareness and prevention.  

• The Clothesline Project is a visual display exhibiting T-shirts designed by survivors and students to spread awareness of the many faces of domestic violence and to work toward prevention. Hosted from noon to 2 p.m. at the COM Atrium from Monday, Oct. 19 to Friday, Oct. 23, students can drop in to observe and create their own design on a T-shirt by using provided materials.  

To learn more about resources and domestic violence prevention, consult JCCC’s list of organizations.